In a move reminiscent of US President Donald Trump’s tough immigration crackdown, the UK’s Labour government has intensified its immigration enforcement operations. Nearly 19,000 failed asylum seekers, foreign criminals, and other immigration offenders have been deported since July 2024. Deportees were sent to countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America, including a notable number to  India.

British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper who is personally overseeing the operations described it as a “UK-wide blitz” on illegal working. 

In January alone, the Home Office conducted 828 raids on workplaces, marking a 48% increase compared to the previous January. 

Reportedly arrests surged to 609, a 73% rise from the previous year. Indian restaurants, nail bars, convenience stores, and car washes employing migrant workers were major targets. One raid on an Indian restaurant in Humberside resulted in seven arrests and four detentions.

The surge in enforcement follows the redeployment of 1,000 staff to immigration operations and tougher policies against illegal arrivals. Between July 2024 and January 2025, enforced returns rose by 24%, and removals of foreign national offenders increased by 21%.

Cooper emphasised the importance of enforcing immigration rules to restore public confidence, stating, “We need to show the rules are respected and enforced, particularly for those who commit crimes in our country.”

Critics have drawn parallels to Trump-era deportations in the US, where mass raids targeted undocumented workers. While concerns about human rights persist, the UK government argues that these measures are essential to restore order in the asylum system and tackle people-smuggling networks. Plans to introduce counter-terror-style powers aimed at dismantling smuggling operations are currently under review in Parliament.